Stephen Crabb, MP for Preseli Pembrokeshire hand delivered a cross-party letter of support for the Celtic Freeport Bid directly to the Chancellor of the Exchequer ahead of the budget (15th March).
The letter which is signed by MS’s and MP’s from all parties has continued to gather momentum and support since the bid was submitted by the public-private sector consortium which includes the Ports of Port-Talbot and Milford Haven last November.
Now with over 100 supporters from Tata Steel and RWE to Manufacturing Wales and the South Wales Industrial Cluster all backing the bid, the MP was keen to demonstrate to the Chancellor the strengths of the bid and the potential that it has to unlock much need investment in the region.
Recognising the economic potential of the Celtic Freeport bid, the Pembrokeshire MP has been one of its most diligent champions along with the Labour MP for Aberavon. If successful, it will accelerate new green industries such as Floating Offshore Wind (FLOW) in the Celtic Sea and hydrogen production – triggering investment in the region of £5.5 billion and creating over 16,000 high-quality green jobs.
Stephen Crabb MP has spent the last 4 months making the case for securing the Freeport for south west Wales with Ministers, in national media and in the House of Commons. The Conservative Preseli Pembrokeshire MP and Labour Aberavon MP, Stephen Kinnock, co-hosted a drop-in briefing session for MPs and Peers to hear direct about the Celtic Freeport bid which helped secure the signatures on the letter delivered to the Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, from cross-party members who attended the meeting.
Stephen Crabb MP said, “I’ve enjoyed introducing fellow MPs and peers to the Celtic Freeport bid, and speaking up about the scale of the opportunity, how the benefits can be secured for Wales and why the case for Floating Offshore Wind is so compelling.”
“I wanted to use the opportunity to meet with the Chancellor to hand-deliver the letter of support signed by both Welsh and Parliamentary colleagues across all parties which is what makes the bid so powerful.”
“We want to secure as many benefits as possible for south west Wales by unlocking investment, jobs and skills to create a lasting economic legacy which will benefit future generations. And the MPs backing the bid so far recognise that this bid is the launch-pad to achieving this new era of manufacturing and green jobs – we just need the Chancellor to recognise it too.”
